Clothes washing machine and pump therefor having fixed and pivoted vane portions



L. O. STUTRUD MACHI May 8, 1962 3,033,015 ING CLOTHES WASHING NE AND PUMP THEREFOR HAV FIXED AND PIVOTED VANE PORTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1960 I INVENTOR. Lynn 0. S/ufrud His A/fomey May 8, 1962 Filed Aug. 50, 1960 L. O. S CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE FIXED AND PIVO T TRUD 3,033,015

AND PUMP TI-IEREFOR HAVING TED VANE PORTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. Lynn 0. Stu/m0 /-//'s Attorney United States Patent Ofi 3,633,015 Patented May 8, 1962 aware Filed Aug. 30, 1960, Ser. No. 52,834 13 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) This invention is directed to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an improved centrifugal pump.

Current trends in clothes washing machines have led to the development of different speeds for different washing operations. For instance, it is now desirable to provide multiple speed agitation as well as multiple speed spinning or centrifuging in order to effect the most suitable operation for a particular fabric. Thus, it becomes necessary to provide the clothes washing machines with a multiple speed motor or prime mover system. Many of such clothes washers also include a centrifugal pump connected to a reversible motor for removing soiled wash and rinse water from the washing apparatus. The amount of water to be removed from the clothes washer remains relatively constant regardless of whether the pump is being driven fast in one direction or slow in another direction. The problem is thus to find a pump which will deliver liquid at substantially the same rate when operated in different directions at a plurality of speeds. Stated another way, it is desired to provide a pump which will not unduly over load the agitate and spin drive motor when the motor is operating at high speed. It is to the solution of these other problems in the pump art that this invention is directed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a pump for pumping a substantially constant quantity of liquid when operated in different directions at a plurality of speeds.

It is also a general object of this invention to provide a pump with means to reduce the power requirements of the pump when operating at high speed.

More specifically, the pump is comprised of a pump housing having an impeller which consists of two pairs of diametrically opposed vanes terminating short of the outer periphery of said pump housing and having pivoted portions established at the end of said vanes and designed to swing in an are effective extending the reach of said vanes. Y

A further object of this invention is embodied in the foregoing impeller to the extent that the swinging of the pivoted portions is accomplished by impeller rotation in one direction only.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a clothes washer suitable for use with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view of the pump of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top elevational view of the pump impeller; V

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 3 with the impeller rotating in a counterclockwise direction;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 with the impeller rotating in the clockwise direction; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pump impeller taken in the direction of line 6 in FIG- URE 4.

In general, this invention pertains to a pump which has a reversible impeller adapted to be driven at a plurality of speeds. The impeller consists of four diametrically opposed vanes shorter in length than the actual radius established by the pump housing but having pivoted portions fastened at the ends of said vanes designed to swing in an are effectively extending the reach of the various vanes. The swinging of the pivoted portions results from selected impeller rotation. In one direction the maximum pumping capacity at the lowest rotational speed is accomplished. In the reverse direction the same quantity of fluid may be pumped even though the rotational speed of the impeller is increased, since the vanes are not in their most extended configuration.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, a clothes washing machine 10 is shown. The clothes washer is comprised of a casing 12 having a top opening 14 closed by a hingedly mounted access door 16. Within the casing 12 is a generally cylindrical water container 18 which has an open top end in line with the access opening 14 and a bottom end closed by a bulkhead 20 which separates the clothes washer easing into a tub or Water container compartment and a machinery compartment. Disposed within the tub compartment is a generally cylindrical spin tub 22 which includes a plurality of circumferentially arranged outflow ports 24. Within the tub is an agitator 26 of any suitable design. An agitating and spinning mechanism shown generally at 28 is enclosed within the machinery compartment and includes means for vertically reciprocating the agitator 26 when the mechanism housing 30 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (the front side of the housing 30 moving from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 1). When the mechanism housing 30 is rotated in the reverse or clockwise direction, the spin tub 22 is rotated in a centrifuging process. Additional details pertaining to the agitate and spinning mechanism 28 itself may be seen in the patent to Sisson 2,758,685 issued August 14, 1956, and details re the multi-speed clothes washing system are taught in the copending application Serial No. 748,412, filed July 14, 1958, now Patent No. 2,976,710. The mechanism 28 may be rotated through a reversible two-speed motor 32 which is suspended beneath the bulkhead 20. The motor 32 includes driving pulleys 34 and 36 which lie in coplanar relationship, respectively, with driven pulleys 38 and 40 affixed to the mechanism housing 30. Disposed at the lower end of the motor drive shaft and directly connected thereto is a centrifugal pump shown generally at 42. The pump 42 has its inlet 44 connected to an outlet 46 from the water container 18 while its outlet 48 is connected to any suitable drainline such as 50. It should therefore be apparent that the pump 42 is operative when the motor 32 is operated in either direction.

In the clothes washer 10, however, the prime mover or motor 32 is adapted to operate the mechanism housing 30 for agitation in a counterclockwise direction at a slow speed through the driven pulley 38. Conversely, the motor 32 is reversed and operated at a high speed to drive the driven pulley 40 when the tub 22 is rotated to effect a high speed centrifuging. At sometime or other during both agitate and spin, water within the water container 18 is pumped by the pump 4-2 to a remote drain. Where the pump includes a one piece impeller, such as in the prior art, the varying drag of the impeller on the motor during multispeed operation produces an undesirable wattage draw by the motor due to impeller drag. Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide a pump 42 which may be operated in reversible directions at different speeds with 3 out unduly changing the power required of the motor 32 to operate the pump 42.

Reference may now be had to FIGURES 2 and 3 for a complete understanding of the construction for the centrifugal pump 42. The pump 42 is comprised of a lower pump housing 54 and a housing top cover plate 56 fastened as by a bolt 53 to the lower pump housing S t-suitable seal means 69 being interposed between the cover plate and the lower pump housing portion 54. The lower housing 54 is formed of a zinc base die casting or other suitable material and includes an integral upstanding rib or vane 62 for smoothing or streamlining the outflow of the pump 42 through the outlet 48. Within the pump housing there is disposed an impeller, shown generally at 64, which has an integral drive shaft portion 66 extending through a flanged collar or opening 68 of the cover plate 56. The impeller 64 is formed of a zinc base die casting or other suitable material and has a circular support portion or turntable 70. Depending from the support portion 70 and integral therewith are a plurality, in this case 4, of fixed impeller vanes 72, 74, 76 and '78. The upper surface or turn table 70 is formed with a recess 80 which includes diametrically opposite notches 82, 84 for removing a water seal shown generally at 86 (FIGURE 2) and which will be described more fully hereinafter. Concentric protuberances or ribs 88, 90 circumscribe the hub 66 of the impeller for cooperation with the water seal 86, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

The foregoing impeller construction is suitable when used in the pump housing 42 to effect a given output at the pump outlet 48 when rotated by the motor shaft 33 at a given speed. Note, however, that the vanes 72, 74, 7 6 and 78 terminate short of the radially outer periphery of the turntable 7t The distance between the terminus of each vane and the periphery of the turntable is filled with a pivotally mounted vane or hinged vane 100 in line with fixed vane 72, a hinged vane 101 in line with fixed vane 74, a hinged vane 102 in line with fixed vane 76 and a hinged vane 103 in line with a fixed vane 78 (FIGURE 3). All the hinged vane parts are interchangeable. Thus, the description of the hinged vane 100 will suffice as typical of the hinged vanes at the ends of all of the impeller fixed vanes and will be given in connection with FIGURES 2, 3, 4, and 6. Each hinged vane is comprised of a vane portion 104 and a pivot shaft portion 106 integral therewith. A shoulder 108 is formed at the top of the vane portion 104 and adapted to abut the underside of the turntable '70 as seen in FIGURE 4.

The FKGURE 4 arrangement occurs when the impeller is being rotated at its relatively slow speed during an agitation cycle. In this regard the complete impeller vane is comprised of both the fixed portion 72 and the movable or hinged vane portion 100, thereby giving the impeller its maxim-um pumping effect. When the impeller 70 is rotated at a relatively fast speed in its clockwise direction, i.e., during a spin cycle, the hinged vane 100 folds over in the position of FIGURE 5 so that the effective impeller vane configuration is merely the fixed portion 72. A pin 110 extends through the shaft portion 166 of the vane 100 and is secured in ported protuberances 112 and 114 which depend from the bottom of the turn table 79. The pins 110 may be formed of a rolled sheet metal so that expansion will prevent the pin from being thrown outwardly from the impeller due to centrifugal force.

The seal arrangement 86 will now be described in connection with FIGURE 2. Note that the impeller shaft 66 is formed with a key 116 which fits into a keyway 118 in the motor shaft 33-a bolt 129 serving to retain the impeller 64 to the motor shaft for rotation therewith. Press fit into the collar 68 of the pump housing cove 56 is a seal retainer 122. An annular seal 124 is retained by the retainer 122 along with an annular carbon-like guide or hearing 126. Adjacent the carbon bearing 126 and rela tively rotatable therewith is a sintered bronze washer 128. A rubber asher 30 s ex in axi l a ignm d is forced into cooperative engagement with the protruding concentric ribs 88 and 9!) to efiect a labyrinth type seal arrangement, thereby preventing outflow of water around the impeller shaft 66.

In operation of the clothes washer 10 the impeller 64 is operated in a counterclockwise direction during the wash agitation cycle at a slow speed and in the clockwise direction during a spin cycle at a much higher speed. Even though it is necessary to pump water from the water container to drain during some portions of both cycles, i.e., agitation and spin, it is desirable that the power requirements of the pump remain substantially constant for the proper operation of the motor 32. Stated another way, the amount of water which must be pumped from the washing machine is substantially constant during either the agitation or spin cycle and for this reason it is desirable to have a pump which, when rotated in one direction, will pump against the same amount of head as when rotated in the opposite direction. These results are achieved in the pump 42 having the hinged vane extensions. The extensions fold over in the position of FIGURE 5 during high speed impeller rotation and the pump output is proportionally reduced so that the net output is the same as when the impeller is rotated in the opposite direction with the hinged vane extension in its depending position shown in FIGURE 4.

It should now be seen that an improved pump is provided which is particularly effective in a clothes washing machine adapted for multiple speed operation. The pump of this invention includes an impeller which has extensible vanes in accordance with the direction of the impeller rotation to secure a generally constant output when rotated in opposite directions at diiferent speeds.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination with a washing machine having a liquid containing tub, an agitating means and a reversible, high and low speed prime mover means for selectively spinning said tub and effecting agitation in said tub, a pump for removing liquid from said machine comprising, means forming a chamber having a liquid inlet for receiving liquid from said tub and a liquid outlet, and means in said chamber directly, drivably connected to said prime mover means for impelling liquid from said liquid inlet to said liquid outlet, said impelling means including a vane having a movable vane portion carried by said impelling means for reducing the power requirements of said impelling means on said prime mover means during high speed, said movable vane portion comprising a collapsible vane pivotally mounted to said impelling means and collapsing during said high speed.

2. In combination with a washing machine having a liquid containing tub, an agitating means and a high and low speed prime mover means for selectively spinning said tub and effecting agitation in said tub, a pump for removing liquid from said machine comprising, means forming a chamber having a liquid inlet for receiving liquid from said tub and a liquid outlet, and a vane in said chamber drivably connected to said prime mover means for impelling liquid from said liquid inlet to said liquid outlet, said vane having one portion thereof for reducing the power requirements of said vane on said prime mover means during high speed, said one portion being pivotally mounted relative to another portion of said vane and movable into substantially non-impelling relationship with said liquid during said high speed.

3. In combination with a washing machine having a liquid containing tub, an agitating means and high and low speed prime mover means for selectively spinning said tub and efl'fecting agitation in said tub, a pump for removing liquid from said machine comprising, means forming a chamber having a liquid inlet for receiving liquid from said tub and a liquid outlet, a vane in said chamber drivably connected to said prime mover means for impelling liquid from said liquid inlet to said liquid outlet, and means including a portion of said vane for reducing the power requirements of said pump on said prime mover means during high speed.

4. In combination with a multiple speed washing machine mechanism having a reversible prime mover, a pump including means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, an impeller in said housing driven by said prime mover, said impeller comprising a circular disclike turntable having a plurality of depending fins, each of said fins having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said movable portion being pivotally mounted to one side of said turntable and pivotally movable from a substantially depending position to a substantially horizontal position when said impeller is rotated in one direction only.

5. In combination with a multiple speed mechanism having a reversible prime mover, a pump including means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, an impeller in said housing driven by said prime mover, said impeller comprising a disc-like turntable having a plurality of extending fins, at least one of said fins having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said movable portion being pivotally mounted relative to said fixed portion and pivotally movable from a substantially extending position to a substantially non-extending position when said impeller is rotated in one direction only.

6. In combination with a multiple speed mechanism having a reversible prime mover, a pump including means 'forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, an impeller in said housing driven by said prime mover and having a plurality of fins, at least one of said fins having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said movable portion being pivotally mounted relative to said fixed portion and pivotally movable from a position substantially coplanar with said fixed portion to a position substantially non-coplanar with said fixed portion when said impeller is rotated in one direction only.

7. A pump comprising, means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, an impeller turntable in said housing having a drive shaft extending out of said housing and a depending impeller vane, a baffie adjacent said outlet for streamlining the flow of said pump at said outlet, said impeller vane having a fixed portion and a movable portion relative to said impeller turntable, said movable portion pivoting to a position coplanar with said fixed portion when said impeller turntable is rotated in one direction and pivoting to a position substantially coplanar with said impeller turntable when the impeller turntable is rotated in another direction.

8. A pump comprising, means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, an impeller turntable in said housing having a drive shaft extending out of said housing and a depending impeller vane, a bafile integral with said housing and adjacent said outlet for streamlining the flow of said pump at said outlet, said impeller vane having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said movable portion adapted to pivot relative to said fixed portion when said impeller is rotated in one direction and to remain fixed relative to said fixed portion when the impeller is rotated in another direction.

9. A pump comprising, means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable impeller in said housing having an impeller vane, said impeller vane having a fixed impelling portion and a movable impelling portion, said movable portion being pivotally mounted relative to said fixed portion and adapted to pivot relative to said fixed portion when said impeller is rotated in one direction and to remain fixed relative to said fixed portion when the impeller is rotated in another direction.

10. A pump comprising, means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, impeller vane means reversibly rotatably mounted in said housing for pumping at one rate when rotated in one direction, and means forming a portion of said impeller vane means and movable in response to rotation of said impeller vane means in another direction for changing the rate of pumping.

11. A pump comprising, means forming a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, and an impeller vane having first and second vane portions reversibly movably mounted in said housing for pumping at one rate with both portions when motivated in one direction, one of said portions being movable relative to the other of said portions in response to motivation of said impeller vane in another direction for changing the rate of pumping.

12. In combination, a washing machine having a water container, an agitating means and a power shaft operable selectively at high speed in one direction for producing a container spinning action and at low speed in the reverse direction for producing a washing action in said container, a pump comprising a casing having a water inlet and an outlet, said water inlet connected for receiving water from said water container, and an impeller in said casing extending into direct driven engagement with said power shaft, said impeller including a plurality of vanes, at least one of said vanes having an end portion relatively pivotally attached relative thereto for movement generally out of the plane of said impeller vane when said impeller is rotated at high speed.

13. In combination, a washing machine having a water container, an agitating means and a power shaft operable selectively in one direction for producing a container spinning action and in the reverse direction for producing a washing action in said container, a pump comprising a casing having a water inlet and an outlet, said water inlet connected for receiving water from said water cont-ainer, and an impeller in said casing extending into direct driven engagement with said power shaft, said impeller including a plurality of vanes, at least one of said vanes having an end portion relatively pivotally attached relative thereto for movement generally out of the plane of said impeller vane when said impeller is rotated in said one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,859,877 Sisson Nov. 11, 1958 2,957,329 V. Re Oct. 25, 1960 2,963,978 Namur Dec. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 528,439 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1940 802,966 France June 22, 1936 

